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LUIS OPPENHEIMER
Born: Mar 31, 1947
Date of Passing: Jun 02, 2025
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryLUIS OPPENHEIMER
With deep sadness, we announce the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, Luís Oppenheimer. Many know him as a dedicated friend, clinician, scientist, researcher, administrator, teacher, mentor, and patient advocate.
He is survived by a loving family: his wife of 44 years, Jocelyn Jennings, son, Dr. Mark Oppenheimer (Leah Ross: Jacob and Benjamin), and daughter, Dr. Maya Rae Oppenheimer, of Montreal; his brothers, Carlos (Joana: Carlos and Sara) of Geneva, Dr. Federico (Julia: Federico and David) of Barcelona, Walter (Andy) of Barcelona, Rafael (Anna: Roger) of Farrera, and Miguel of Barcelona; his brother-in-law, Allan Jennings (Allison: Ryan and Brendan); their respective families. He was predeceased by his father, Dr. Walter Oppenheimer Springer, mother, Nieves Cuevas Felipe, and stepmother, Carmen Salinas Moreno.
Luís was born in Barcelona during Spain’s emergence from the Civil War and ongoing dictatorship of Francisco Franco: this political context shaped the trajectory of his life and career. He received his early education in Barcelona, where he was noticed for his musical talent but followed his father’s footsteps and pursued a career in medicine. He graduated from the University of Barcelona Medical School where he subsequently taught physiology. Feeling increasingly oppressed by the Franco Regime as a student and educator, he decided to make a new life in Canada. He passed the Educational Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates examination, was accepted by several internships across Canada, and arrived in Winnipeg on June 9, 1971. Luís was forever grateful for his Canadian citizenship, the opportunities it afforded, and the kindness of immigration officers: he mentioned several times how lucky he was during this process.
Luís began his internship at the Winnipeg General Hospital on June 15, 1971, less than one week after arriving in Canada and speaking very little English (yet fluent in Spanish, French, German, and some Catalan). This was followed by a residency in General Surgery (1972 - 1977) and a trauma fellowship at the San Francisco General Hospital. Upon his return to Winnipeg in 1978, he was appointed Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery. An astute physician and researcher, he spent decades applying research initiated in his laboratory to the care of patients. This resulted in highly regarded academic publications, international research presentations, the support of grants and awards (including the Myles Robinson Memorial Scholarship Fund (1981 - 1995), which supported his research on pulmonary edema), and numerous lives-saved under his careful administrations. Luís was renowned for his kindness, bedside teaching, creativity, and kinship with patients and families during some of the most difficult times of their lives. He still received personal correspondence and phone calls from families.
Alongside his clinical work, Luís held many administrative positions including: Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, which he inaugurated (1987 - 1995), Director of Surgical Research, Director of Research HSC and HSC Foundation, Head of the Department of Surgery HSC and St. Boniface (1995 - 2006), Assistant Dean (2006 - 2009), and Provincial Director of Patient Access (2006 - 2015). He was recently honoured by the University of Manitoba with Professor Emeritus status and with honourary memberships to the College of Family Physicians and Canadian Medical Association. During his appointments, Luís stewarded many firsts in Canada including a dedicated trauma and acute care surgery service, integration of minimally invasive surgery, telemedicine initiatives, and the E-consult program for shortened patient wait times. He negotiated the recruitment of the next generation of surgical leaders to work in Manitoba and ensured they were given the required resources to build programs of excellence. He always emphasized the invaluable nature of collaborative efforts: it was characteristic of him to divert the spotlight.
Above all, Luís was a beloved husband, father, and grandpa. During several return visits to Spain, he shared his love of homeland and its history and culture with his family, instilling a deep affection for the country through his stories and its scenery, architecture, and food. The latter was something he honed at home, perfecting his recipes for paella, tortilla, and various tapas dishes – sangria in summers. Family history was very important to him, and he spent considerable time collating pictures, translating documents, and maintaining family connections in Barcelona, the Canary Islands, and Israel.
In recent years, during his retirement, Luís spent time with family, helping his beloved Jocelyn in daily activities, picking up his daughter, Maya, at the airport when she visited from wherever she was living, and engaging his son, Mark, in deep discussions about healthcare system improvement and parenthood. He took special joy in being a grandpa to precious Jacob and Benjamin, imparting his love of model trains, exploring worlds through microscopes, introducing them to music at the keyboard, and sharing stories of his beloved Barcelona. His love of music was well-known. If he did not answer Jocelyn at home, it was because he was near his speakers, lost in the passages of his favourite composer, or at the piano practicing a piece. Luís held particular regard for Pau Casals, not only for his musical genius but also his advocacy for peace in Spain and elsewhere.
There are so many thanks to give to those who touched Luís’ life over the decades. Recently: his medical team at the Renal Transplant Centre; Luís’ organ donor whose incredible gift allowed him freedom from hemodialysis and more years with family; Dr. Leif Sigurdson, Dr. Shane Silver and Dr. Alex Singer for their attentive care; the kindnesses we encountered during multiple health challenges, and at the end, emergency services.
If desired, please consider a donation in his name to the University of Manitoba Student Food Bank (foodbank@umanitoba.ca). Luís was always grateful to the University for supporting his work, and he empathized with and related to students pursuing their studies with few resources.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Park Cafe, Qualico Family Centre, Assiniboine Park, on June 26, 2025 from 6:30. Remarks commence at 7:15 p.m.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 21, 2025
Condolences & Memories (2 entries)
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I have worked with Luis during his days as Director of Surgery, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and developed a deep appreciation of his knowledge, kindness and skill. I felt that he was a friend who welcomed me as part of his team. Luis was inspirational, he had a vision for how to make healthcare and surgery in particular a better service. I remember siting with him as we reviewed the processes a patient needed to go through to get a total joint procedure and marveled as he worked to make that system better and more patient friendly. My sincere condolences to his family. - Posted by: Mary Lessing-Turner (Co-worker) on: Jul 10, 2025
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Extremely sad and upset to read of Luis’s passing. I was one year ahead of Luis in the surgical residency program at U of M / HSC. From the time he arrived in Winnipeg we became good friends and colleagues. He was kind, loved people/patients, was very studious and an excellent surgical resident. Beyond becoming a great surgeon, he was an awesome person. On a July 1st long-weekend I was on call for vascular surgery and entered surgical recovery/ICU to find Luis on a stretcher with abdominal pain. I ended up removing his appendix that day and he pretty much continued his call over the weekend. As I headed to Neurosurgery, Luis continued in General Surgery but it became a longstanding joke that a neurosurgical resident removed the appendix of the future Head of surgery. Many years later, long after I left Winnipeg, my mother-in-law in rural Manitoba was hospitalized with a bowel obstruction & it was suspected she would require transfer to a major center for surgery. I called Luis, who initially did not recognize my name until I reminded him jokingly, that I was the neurosurgeon who removed his appendix. Luis immediately transferred my MIL to HSC and basically nursed her through her bowel obstruction without surgery. He was exceptionally kind to my wife who happened to have been one of the Surgical ICU/Recovery RNs who cared for him with his pre-appendectomy abdominal pain. It has been several yrs. since I last saw Luis & regretfully, that day, at an ICU reunion, we had little time to chat. My wife recalls Luis helping her learn some specific medical facts while still a nursing student. He was a fantastic teacher for junior residents, students, nurses and even patients and families. I know Luis will be greatly missed by not only myself and his family, but also all the colleagues and patients on whom he made an incredible impression. May he Rest in Peace. - Posted by: Arnold & Janet Zeal (Colleagues & friends) on: Jun 21, 2025
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